Determination propelled me to rise: Cde Tshambo

By Margaret Kamba

The determination to rise in life despite having a tough and painful background propelled Cde Khumbulani Tshambo to seek a better life.

Having lost all the niceties of life following the death of his father during his first grade, the reality of life shook him as he had to come face to face with walking 30 kilometres to school yet he was previously driven to school.

This coupled with staying in the rural areas resulted in him having poor grades later in secondary school.

In search of a better life, the young man journeyed to Victoria Falls from Hwange where he began his life as a vendor before being a security guard and then a safari tour guide.

He never forgot how far he had come which is the main reason why he jumped at the opportunity presented by a tourist named Gilbert Leonard in 2002.

“I told Mr Leonard that there was nothing left for me in life except to prepare the way for those behind me. He understood me because there and then, he wanted to know how he could help,” Cde Tshambo said.

“Both of us being of a Christian backgrou, felt the need to pray to seek for God’s guidance. From then on, after visiting the school I attended and seeing the distance I walked to school as a child, we began working together in 2004.”

Cde Tshambo was 22 years old when he and his partner, Mr Leonard, began with renovations at BH36 Primary School.

Cde Tshambo understood that he had missed a lot of opportunities in life because he was not learned hence the need to make things better for other young people.

A total of 16 schools have felt the touch of his hands thanks to his kind-hearted nature.

Masuwe Primary School has a classroom block which is due to their efforts while Badombe Primary School was built from scratch since the students had been using railway station infrastructure.

Chimbombo Primary school, Vulindleka Primary School, Simakade Primary School and Sidobe Secondary School were some of the beneficiaries of classroom blocks built, teachers quarters renovations, borehole drilling and WiFi connections.

Leona Clinic was also built to have the community’s healthcare provisions met.

A state-of-the-art school is already at foundation level in Victoria Falls which is an extension.

“The New Dispensation and President E.D Mnangagwa’s vision 2030 and the call to have locals build their own country, has resulted in us putting up 12 solar-powered irrigation gardens and the Buy A Brick Foundation to help people within this community,” Cde Tshambo said.

“Community involvement in the schools programme saw us working very well together. This includes the Hwange Rural District Council and Agritex among others.

“The sustainability of the projects stems from the fact that the proceeds from the Irock Lodge go towards the community. The lodge now has water which was previously a challenge.”

Cde Tshambo added that he has ensured that women within the community benefit from harvesting resources found locally and chicken rearing programmes.

“I also work with 400 women to harvest thatching grass from parks which they use to empower themselves. Some sell this thatching grass while others use it to beautify their homes,” he said.

For the youth empowerment drive he, he employs some of them within his businesses while for the others empowerment programmes.

Due to the work that he is doing, people and businesses within the community feel free to approach him for any assistance that they require.

He also works hand in glove with the Social Welfare and Ministry of Education for their School feeding programme.

The assistance does not there but the elderly and handicapped. Funeral assistance is also done to give befitting burials to loved ones. The sick are also cared for by being taken to hospitals so that they are nursed back to health.

“My vision has not yet been fulfilled at all in Chief Mvuthu and Chief Shana areas. Since 2004 up to now, this work which I do is engraved in my heart and my life. I am grateful to the two Chiefs for their guidance and all the stakeholders I work with.”

Cde Tshambo concluded by saying that everyone must continue to work hard to build Zimbabwe.

About Author